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Frames of Reference; Event Horizon

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“Frames of Reference” was a series that began circa 1978. Half-hour shows were produced to showcase commissioned and already created works. It was around this time that the focus of the Workshop shifted, to concentrate more heavily on creating works for broadcast. During its time, “Frames of Reference” was the focus of the Workshop’s national arts programming effort. In an attempt to raise funds and foster collaboration, Workshop personnel approached and visited several public television stations nationwide. The major collaborative relationship was with WGBH’s “sister station,” WGBY (Springfield, Mass.). Among the featured artists were Meredith Monk, Remy Charlip, Trisha Brown, and Peter Campus. In 1981, “Frames of Reference” was packaged and offered to PBS, during what is known as “flex time” and was broadcast by WGBH, WNET (New York), and WGBY (Springfield, Mass.). “Frames of Reference” ended as a series ca. 1983, because of a lack of funding.
Series release date: 1978

Program Description

Filmed in extreme desert conditions “Event Horizon” looks at a landscape interrupted and transformed by visible signs of heat. The waviness blurs objects and figures, creating a mirage effect and rendering familiar objects unrecognizable. The work takes place in near silence, with the sound of wind dominating the score. The work is approximately seven and one-half minutes in length.